Ghana timber exports rise in January
20 April 2013Wood product export volumes from Ghana increased 17.6% to 21,028m3 in January, according to new figures from the country’s Forestry Commission.
The value of the exports was up 47% on 2012 to €9.1m. The growth follows last year's decline in sawn export volumes by 21.4% to 251,346m3 and export values' fall by 7.1% to €99.8m.
In January this year, the figures show Europe accounted for 37.3% of the export volume.
Air-dried (AD) lumber volumes were up by 64% to 3, 755m3, while kiln-dried (KD) shipments were down 3% to 5,412m3. Mouldings rose 82% to 1,286m3.
Samartex was the leading exporter of AD product and Geavag the top shipper of KD timber.
Wawa's position as top KD export lumber species was confirmed with a 3,110m3 share, followed by mahogany (629m3), koto/kyere (440m3) and sapele (214m3).
China was the leading destination on volumes, followed by Germany, but the US was top on exported product value. The UK was sixth in both respects.
Teak was the biggest AD export lumber species at 2,311m3, followed by rosewood/kpatro at 1,095m3, with India and China the dominating customers.
